Utility peg



June 7, 1960 A. s. BOYCE 2,939,468

UTILITY PEG Filed March as, 1959 INVEN TOR. ANDREW S. BOYCE ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to the art of clamping members and in particular has reference to .an improved typeof ground stake'that will secure coverings in place with respect to the ground with a minimal amount of effort.

, In picnicking or bathing at the beach, a blanket or other ground covering is oftentimes used by persons to sit upon and frequently such groundcoverings' receive plates and the like when the same are used during a picnic, for example. It has often been found in these cases that the blankets or other-ground coverings will be blown about ;by the wind,'with the result that considerable difiiculty is encountered in keeping the blanket in place on the ground.

In Hill Patent 2,840,092, issued June 24, 1958, a clamping device intended for use in securing blankets, etc., in place on the ground was disclosed. While the Hill patent teaches pins of the particular nature involved herein, the structure thereof has been found disadvantageous for several reasons.

First and foremost, the same requires a specially formed shaft member and further requires that this shaft member slidably receive thereon a clamping member in the form of a clothes pin. The method of assembly of this unit is not discussed in the patent.

Because of the fact that the two halves of the clothes pin element must move relatively of each other and the supporting shaft during use, it has been found that difficulty will be encountered in opening and closing the device when the same is positioned in the ground.

Additionally, when the Hill device is positioned in the ground and clamping an article, it is difficult, if not impossible, to remove the clamping device from the ground without disengaging the cloth being held by the same.

It has been found that the above noted dis-advantages can the obviated by providing a simpler type of clamping arrangement wherein one of the clamping surfaces is defined by the ground stake per se, while the other, relatively movable clamping surface, is pivoted to the stake, with the result that only two main component parts are provided, with these parts being operated by a biasing spring that interconnects the members.

In addition to reducing the number of elements required to produce a satisfactory device, it has been found that the providing of the clamping head on the stake also permits the formation of a finger gripping surface that may be utilized to remove the stake from the ground without interference with the overall holding properties of the device. a

Production of a low-cost utility peg having the above advantages accordingly becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification,

considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a series of utility pegs of the invention being employed to hold a blanket in place on the ground.

2,933,468 Patented June 7, 1960 Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the lines 2-2 of Figure 1. r

Figure 3 is a perspective view .of the improved utility Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 of Figure 3. a Refer-ring now to the drawings and in partciular to Figures 2 and 3 thereof, itwill be seen that the utility peg, generally designated by the numeral 10, is defined by an elongatestake section 11 and a clamping head section 12; the arrangement being such that the clamping head 12 is'pivotedwith respect to the enlarged head portion 13 of member 11 by use of spring 25. In'this fashion, the gripping surfaces of members 12 and 13 will be normally. biased into contact with each other.

Referring again to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the stake portion .11 includes. an elongate shaft 14 having a pointed end 14a, with the shaft 14 preferably having a generally stellate cross-sectional configuration, as shown best in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The enlarged head portion 13 further includes first and second gripping surfaces 15 and 16, with these grip- .ping surfaces preferably flaringoutwardly from shaft 14,

asshown in Figure 2.

A gripping surface 20, of generally elongate flat rectangular configuration, extends through a plane that is substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 14 and, manner, one longitudinal edge 20a thereof overlies the shaft 14, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A series of transverse ribs 21, 21 are provided on the -gripping surfaces 20, while an arcuate undercut 22 is provided adjacent one longitudinal end thereof for reception of the spring 25, as shown -in Figures 2 and 3. A chamfered or cut-off area, designated by the numeral 23 is shown extending between the gripping surfaces 16 and the arcuate undercut 22, and in this fashion, clearance is provided for the portion 12a of clamping head 12 when the same is moved to release position, as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The clamping head 12 is also shown in Figures 2 and 3 as being of generally elongate configuration so as to define a clamping surface 30 that is again provided-with transversely extending raised ribs 31, 31, with the ribs 31, 31 mating with ribs 21, 21 when the arcuate socket 32 is positioned over spring 25, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A raised rib portion 33 facilitates pivoting of the clamping head 12 around the pivot point that is defined by the spring 25. It is to be understood that if desired, the ribs 31, 31 could, for example, mesh with ribs 21, 21 to provide improved holding power.

With regard to the construction of spring 25, the same includes a coiled base section 25a having radially extending arms 25b and 250, each of which is provided with a hooked end as shown in the drawings. In this fashion, the hook end of the arm 25b may be passed through an appropriate aperture in clamping head 12, while, in like fashion, the hook end of arm 25c may be passed through an opening in the enlarged head portion (see Figure 2).

In use or operation of the improved clamping device, it is merely necessary that the blanket be layed out to its approximate position on the ground and at this time the clamping ribs 21, 21 and 31, 31 may be positioned against opposed sides of an edge surface thereof by first moving the head 12 to the chain-dotted line position of Figure 2 and then allowing release thereof for clamping of the edge between the ribs 21, 21 and 31, 31, which have been moved towards each other by spring 25. When a series of pegs have been so positioned on the four corners of the blanket, for example, the shaft portions 14 remove the peg from the ground, the user merely slips one or more fingers between the ground and the surfaces 15 and 16 and asserts a lifting pressure to easily remove the peg and blanket with respect to the ground. During this removal, it will be seen that no force-is being-asserted'to disturb the clamping action, with the result that after removal of the pegs, the,blanket may be quickly and easily detached by applying finger pressure against rib 33 to effectuate a pivoting to release the jaws ofithe clamping member. i

While :a full and complete description of the invention has been made in'accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the "invention is not intended to be so limited.

Accordingly, while the preferred embodiment envisions the use of a plastic material formed with ribsand lightweight, rigid type of construction, it is to' be understood that the principles employed could be equally used with other materials, shapes and 'forms' Similarly, while the utility peg'has been illustrated as having a preferred use in connection with the retaining of a beach covering in place, it is to be understood that the uses of the device are not to be construed as being limited to the embodiment disclosed. Thus, the peg may be used forthe holding of name plates for plant identification or for the holding of directional signs in gardens. Similarly, the peg maybe used .in connection with extension. tubes of varying lengths for the purpose .of

providing shade in localized regions as is thersituation in the shading of sun-sensitive gardens.

Accordingly, where appropriate modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A peg member of the character described, comprising; an elongate shaft having one end pointed and having an enlarged head portion provided at the opposed end thereof; a first elongate clamping surface defined by said enlarged head portion and being disposed in a plane that is substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said shaft, with at least one longitudinal edge thereof overhanging said shaft; at least one gripping surface flaring outwardly from said shaft for juncture with said overhanging edge of said first'clamping surface; a clamping head including a second elongate clamping surface; and spring means releasably and pivotally securing said clamping head to said enlarged head portion, with said first and second clamping surfaces being aligned and being normally urged into contact with each other.

2. A peg member of thecharacter described, comprising; an elongate shaft having one end pointed and having an enlarged head portion provided at the opposed end thereof; a first elongate clamping surface defined by said enlarged head portion and being disposed in a plane that is substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said shaft, with at least one longitudinal edge thereof overhanging said shaft; opposed gripping surfaces flaring outwardly from said shaft for juncture with opposed peripheral portions of said enlarged head portion; a clamping head including asecond elongate clamping surface; and springmeans releasably and pivotally securing said clamping head to said enlarged head portion, with said first and second clamping surfaces being aligned and beingnormally urged into contact with each other.

- 3. The device of claim 2 further characterized by the fact that one said gripping surface is undercut adjacent its point of juncture withsaid head portion, whereby said clamping headmay be pivoted through the plane of said first clamping surface.

No references cited. 

